Apparatus for washing motor cars and the like



Aug. 13, 1935. J. ROHAN APPARATUS FOR WASHING MOTOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 4, 1953 INVENTOR John Rohan ATTORNEYS My inventio motor cars and the object to provide a new and lTED STATE APPARATUS FOR 5 PATENT OFFICE AND THE LIKE John Rohan, New York, N. Y.

Application November 4, 1933, Serial No. 696,631

2' Claims. (01. 299-81 n relates to apparatus for washing like, and has for its general improved apparatus of the class specified whereby the defects usually 5 found in such prior constructions and particularly those making use of high water pressure, 350 pounds or more,

as is common,

appliances are done away with. In

there has usually been employed a hose connection having a swivel joint at the point of connection the flexible ho between the water-supply pipe and se to enable the nozzle or discharge end of the hose to move in a substantially circular patharound the vehicle to be washed. Such joints are expensive to make and diflicult to keep in repair, being liable to leakage necessitating lengthy shutdowns. made tight enough to rotary movement of Moreover, when they are prevent leakage the free the joints is restricted.

By the present invention swivel joints and other movable joints subject to leakage are eliminated; and furthermore, the liability of the hose to twist,

bind and kink is avoided. Also it is that the apparatus an essential be operated with as little physical effort as possible so as to be within the powers of a single operator, and the present invention requires a minimum of physical eiiort. The preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing is comparatively simple and cheap of manufacture, is

not subject to leakage, has required in actual practice little or no repair, and can be readily operated and manipulated by the user.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on a plane indicate Referring to the drawing,

d by the section line 2-2 in Fig. 1. I designates a water inlet pipe or main which opens into the top portion of a vertical supply pipe or water-conducting chamber l l,

the upper end terminating in a flanged closure l2 which is suitably fixed to a ceilport. [3. The

pressure, of say more or less.

garage or other stationary supwater supply is or may be at high three hundred and fifty pounds, Threaded on or otherwise secured to the lower open end of the pipe II is a hose connection l4, secured by suitable I the upper hoses l6, two

any suitable ployed within to the lower end of which is firmly devices indicated generally at open ends of one or more flexible of such hoses being shown in the It is to be understood that illustrates a so-called Siamese flexible water hoses, one or the scope of the invention.

substantially without Means are-provided for affording movement of the hose It in circular path about the vehicle to be washed, the term circular path being intended to comprehend an arc uate or other curved path less, if desired, than a complete circle. Such means comprises a hose carrier which, as herein shown, is a rigid frame designated generally as H, and preferably made of sections or parts of hollow metal tubing with unions or joints as shown, such tubing having been-found in practice to combine lightness and rigidity of structure. The detailed construction of the carrier or frame may be varied as found desirable but shown herein comprises generally a horizontal arm I8 from which inclines angularly downward and outward a long extension I?! of tubing, the arms l8 and [9 being connected by a cross brace 20. To the inner end of the arm E8 of the carrier is secured a bearing member 2! which loosely surrounds and bears rotatively on the supply pipe H, the bearing member 2| being preferably spaced from the connection [4 by a washer 22.

To the lower end of arm I9 is secured a ball bearing member 23 of suitable construction through which the hose I6 passes at some distance below and outward from its point of connection with the source of water supply. The hose passes smoothly through the roller or ball bearing 23 at substantially right angles to the plane of the ball race or without angularity, thus preventing binding and wear, the rollers or balls affording easy frictionless turning movements during rotation of the carrier. Above the mem ber 23 the hose is provided with a stop 24 which cooperates with the member to limit downward movement of the hose through the member and also relieves strain or pull at the connection l5. It will be noted that the means or devices 23 and 2A cooperate to retain the upper portionof the hose H3 in a gentle easy curve which is maintained variation at all times during the operation of the apparatus. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the device 23 in all positions in its path, indicated at X in Fig. 2, fully clears the vehicle to be washed, being well above its top and also located outward beyond its sides, thus preventing contact of the apparatus and of the hose with the vehicle without attention from the operator.

Means are provided for supporting the carrier [1 independently of the central support or pipe ll and at the same the carrier'in and restrict it to a circular path. Such means in the present instance comprise a stationary circular bar or time assisting to guide' the trackway duringrotary movements;

parts are so arranged that the 'weight of the carrier I1 is suitably balanced tendencyof the carrier to prevented by the bearing 2|.

only necessary to 2 la of the right hand carrier I! is disposed above.

a plurality of hangers 26 secured to the stationary support l3. The trackway receives a rotary bearing member in the form of a grooved wheel or pulley 2'! from the axle 28 of which is suspended an arm 29 having an eye 30 at its lower end which embraces the arm I8 of the hose carrier and is rigidly secured thereto. The pulley 21 and its arm 29 assist to provide a support for the hose carrier I! and the hose and permit them to be readily tinned or rotated, the pulley running over The or distributed. Any tip will of course be The description hereinbefore given of onecarc rier and associate parts applies, of course, to the corresponding duplicate shown herein, it being note that the bearing member the corresponding'bearing member 2| at the left, and that upward sliding movement-is limited by the flange Ila of the pipe ll; Preferably a suitable washer 3! is interposed between the two bearing members 2| and 2|a.

In operation, the water having been turned on, the user grasping the nozzle end portion of the hose moves to desired positions during the washing of the vehicle, diagrammatically illustrated at 1 A, located substantially in a central position beneath the vertical supply pipe. No action is required by the user other than the washing operation itself the novel apparatus causing the hose to follow readily the operators movementswithout attention from him or physical effort on his part beyond the slight pull necessary to move the carrier on its trackway. In all positions the the like under high with said vertical pipe,

a source of water supply, a flexible hose fixedly connected at one end to said source of supply, a rigid'rotary'frame carrying said hose, a bearing secured to the lower end portion of said frame and through which the hose passes, and a stop on said 'hose and movable said stopcoactlng with said bearing for positively upper portion of the hosein a n therewith above said bearing,

maintaining the substantially unvarying curve.

, 2. In apparatus of the class describedthe combination of a source of a water supply including a vertical stationary pipe, a hosecouplingrigid with the lower end of' said pipe, a flexible hose connecting directlylto said coupling. at one end and having directly connected to its other end a fluid-emitting nozzle; amovable frame, a. bearing for supporting said hose from the frame, stop means on the hose, a circular trackway coaxial a. roller member bearing on said trackway and an arm carried by said roller member and connected to said frame, said frame also being supported directly from said" stationary pipe independently of said hose.

JOI-IN ROI-IAN; 

